Disclaimer: I don't own them. Pity.

A/N: The update is a day late (sorry) but it's about twice as long as the other chapters, which will hopefully earn me some forgiveness. :)

Chapter 5: What A Difference A Day Makes

Emma stared down the street where Regina's Benz had vanished for a long, long moment before turning around to head back home. She knew she had to talk to Henry, to bring him up to date, but she wasn't sure how much to actually share with her son. She wondered if he was angry at Regina after seeing her car, if he thought she had lied to him yet again.

As she walked the quiet streets of Storybrooke doubts began to creep into her mind. She had seen the car just fine and was pretty sure it had been Regina's but she hadn't managed to get a look at the driver. For all she knew it could have been anyone driving it, although she had no idea who would have the guts to steel the Evil Queen's car.

On the other hand, they had been gone quite a while, and Regina had pulled her disappearing act right after their return from Neverland. Didn't even stick around for a whole day before she left.

All thoughts of Regina's Benz evaporated as Emma tried to recall the day of their triumphant return as clearly as she could. They had been greeted by half of Storybrooke at the docks, lots of people hugging them, all too happy to have them back. She couldn't remember seeing Regina among the throng of people, the mix of greeters and greeted, but she did remember the indecipherable look on Regina's face when she had turned and walked away. At the time she hadn't put too much importance on that, but now that she knew that the woman had left that very same day, she wondered again what the look had been about. Who or what had she looked at? Henry most likely. Or maybe, just maybe that look had been for you.

Emma sighed at the thought. Wishful thinking wouldn't help her at all in this situation. And if Regina had been looking at her why had she taken that as a reason to leave? And then Emma remembered the way Neal had been all over her, no matter how much she tried to put distance between them. With that, the memory of her talk with Snow on the Jolly Roger came back as well. Snow, who had tried to tell Emma how great everything would be if they all could just go back to the Enchanted Forest, and how Neal was her true love.

She couldn't remember seeing Regina anywhere near but what if ... No, stop! Stop making things up in your head just because you want them so much, she admonished herself. But no matter how much she told herself it couldn't possibly be true, everything in her head and in her heart came back to this: Neal had been all over her that day, and for most of the trip back. Snow had spoken of her conviction that he was Emma's true love, loudly, with no thought as to who might hear. And Regina was a complex woman filled with self-doubt who would always believe in the worst possible outcome for herself. Much like Emma herself.

Emma knew she had feelings for Regina, there was no doubt about that. She just didn't know exactly what those feelings were. All she knew was that they were complicated and strong, running through her like electricity, invading every cell. And those feelings sure as hell weren't getting any less complicated with Regina gone.

She wished they could just sit down and talk. Try to get to the bottom of this, try to figure out what it was that she was feeling ... they were feeling. Because the more she thought about it, the more she was certain that Regina shared her feelings, in all their complicated glory. Why didn't you come talk to me, Regina? Why did you just run? I would have told you to stay!

Would you? a tiny part of her mind wondered, and Emma deflated. She hated thinking about her feelings almost as much as she hated talking about them. Of course she wouldn't have said any of those things to Regina. Not unless she had been a hundred percent sure of her feelings and possibly Regina's as well. And five days ago, before Regina had disappeared, Emma hadn't known how deep her feelings for Regina ran. It was Regina's absence from her life that had made Emma see things more clearly. She stopped in her tracks. Maybe Regina had done exactly the right thing.

Absence, it seemed, really did make the heart grow fonder.

Now she just had to find Regina to let her know that she had figured it out and to tell her to please come back. And finding people was what she did. Regina didn't stand a chance.

Heart lightened by her conclusion, Emma lengthened her stride again. Time to talk to Henry about what exactly he had seen.

o o o

Regina paced in front of her stone fireplace. There was just enough space for four long strides to the left, a turn on her heels, and four strides back. And the mantle was close enough to lend support in case she stumbled, which of course had never happened and would never happen, no matter how much of the bourbon in that bottle was now inside her.

She had spent the afternoon thinking about Henry and Emma, and was still thinking about them. Be honest, she sneered at herself. You started out thinking about both of them, and ended up emptying a couple of glasses over thoughts of Emma. Emma, Emma, Emma. The name ran through her head like a mantra.

By now, darkness had fallen in Storybrooke, and Regina was well on her way to being drunk, which really didn't help the direction her thoughts were taking. She paused in her strides as the memory of Emma's arms around her on the Jolly Roger stormed her mind's eye, and a deep longing engulfed her as much as those strong arms had done. She dropped into her armchair and leaned back, staring at the beams on her ceiling. Why couldn't she shake this feeling, this yearning for Emma?

She could still hear Gold's giggle when he had figured it out on the way to Neverland. "Oh, this is wonderful," the blasted imp had sing-songed. "True love has finally found you after all this time, and it's going to kill you." She had hardly been able to control her face and her emotions back then; right now, his words hit her like an ice storm. But she refused to bend to the onslaught of sadness; she would not succumb to it, she was much stronger than that. "Fitting," Gold had continued as she had turned to leave, "that the Savior would slay the Evil Queen with nothing but her own heart." A bloodless killing he had called it, suitable for the kind of good people Emma Swan represented. "Snow White will be so proud," he'd said as she had left his cabin.

Gold and her mother had always known exactly which buttons to push with her, how to goad her into doing things they needed. Strange then how this time all Gold's words had done was to make Regina withdraw into herself, and consequently from the people she loved.

All of a sudden the alcohol in her system was making her sleepy, or maybe it was emotional exhaustion. The last thought she had before she drifted off was that Gold had been right about one thing, though.

This was killing her.

o o o

Emma didn't have time to put her key in the lock before Henry whipped open the door. He looked at her, and then around her, and she could see his face fall when her realized she was alone.

"I thought you might have found her," Henry said against her chest when she hugged him close. "Did you see her?"

Emma let him go to close the door, then took his hand and pulled him over to the sofa. "About that, kid," she began hesitantly. "I did see your mom's car … but I couldn't get a look at who was driving it. So I want you to be sure: did you see your mom or just her car?"

Henry instantly opened his mouth to answer but closed it again after a second of thought. "I … I'm not really sure," he finally replied. "I don't think so. I was so sure it was her because it definitely was her car … but I only really saw it from the back." Emma felt sympathy at his sad tone and pulled him into a one-armed hug. "You don't think it was her, do you?" he asked with a small sniffle.

Emma hated that Henry was sad but at the same time she marveled at the fact that after everything he had been through, he still had no trouble showing his emotions. She had seen so many kids in the system who hadn't cried anymore at his age, and she was glad his experiences hadn't hardened him as they had her when she was a kid.

"I don't know," she said honestly, "but my gut says it wasn't her." She looked into Henry's eyes. "It just doesn't make sense, you know."

Henry nodded. "You're right," he agreed. "Why would she tell us that she'd leave and then drive around town? She wouldn't lie about leaving, not now … after everything."

In this moment Emma knew she couldn't tell Henry that she thought Regina was still in town, at least not until she was sure, and maybe could explain his mother's reasoning to him. She wasn't sure it would matter to Henry that Regina hadn't actually said she'd be leaving Storybrooke. "She wouldn't lie to you, Henry." Unless, of course, she thought it was what was best for you, kid.

That seemed to be enough to get her son out of his funk. "Did you find out anything at our house?"

Our house? That was new. Emma got up and walked to the kitchen counter a few steps away to get something to drink. "A lot of your mom's stuff is missing," she explained as she went about fixing them some cocoa. "She packed at least one bag and took a lot of books but I couldn't tell what else was missing. It did look like she was leaving for a long while, though." She didn't dare turn around to face him, not ready for the sad look she was sure would be back on Henry's face.

She jumped when Henry suddenly showed up next to her. "That makes sense," he said softly. "Mom never was any good at doing things only halfway." He watched Emma stir the cocoa. "But if she didn't have her car, how did she leave?"

Emma gave him a look.

"Oh," he said. "Magic." He thought for a long moment. "But doesn't that mean that she's still around here somewhere?"

Emma should have known not to underestimate their son. "I don't know, kid," she replied slowly. "But I'm going to ask someone who's better at magic than I am about that. It's possible she found a way to take it with her." Henry gave her a look that told her she wasn't really fooling him, so she decided to bite the bullet.

"The truth is, I think she's hiding somewhere where she thinks we can't find her." She started to pour the cocoa into two mugs. "I think she wanted to be away from everything but she really couldn't bear not to be near you in some way. She loves you too much, you know that."

Henry nodded and took one of the mugs. "I know." He sprinkled cinnamon on his cocoa, biting his lips as he was thinking. "Do you think she's watching us?" He sounded strangely happy at that thought.

Emma seriously considered the question. "No, I don't think so," she finally said."But you can never be sure, so you better brush your teeth and do your homework, kid."

Henry grinned into his cocoa. "Or I'll just let it all slide so she'll have to come home just to ground me."

That's my son , Emma thought with a grin.

o o o

Emma and Henry talked about their respective days over a dinner of mac and cheese. Emma gave Henry more details of her trip to the mansion and the vault, although she left out the vanished bourbon bottle. Henry told her all the things Snow and Neal had said and done at brunch and later, but after the third or fourth "... and then Dad said ..." Emma's thoughts began to drift to Regina again. She would hate the familiar way Henry calls Neal his dad, Emma decided. It bugged even her, so her imagination didn't have to jump too far to Regina's reaction.

"Are you even listening, Ma?" Henry suddenly asked.

Emma turned to her son. "Of course," she lied. "I just have a lot on my mind."

Henry gave her a small grin and shook his head. "It's weird, you know," he said around a spoonful of mac and cheese, "how much you sound like mom sometimes."

Emma only raised an eyebrow at that. She knew it had been happening more and more, and frankly she couldn't find too much wrong with that. "If I wanted to sound more like your mom," she teased Henry, "then I'd tell you not to speak with your mouth full, young man."

Predictably, Henry spewed a few chunks of mac and cheese he had still been chewing as he laughed. Then he grew more serious. "Do you think it's weird that I sometimes miss that?"

"Being told what not to do by your mom?"

"Yeah." He swallowed another bite. "I know I always got angry when she tried to tell me what to do but I think she just wanted me to have manners and behave right." He paused. "It made me feel like a little kid and I hated that but now ... I guess I wouldn't mind so much."

"It's not weird, Henry," Emma said equally seriously. "You had to grow up way too fast, faster than any little boy should, and after Neverland ... people don't always treat you like the boy you are, don't they?" She made a mental to remember to treat him more like the child he was but it was hard for her. Even after so many months of knowing her son, she still wasn't sure sometimes how to talk to him. Regina would know what to do and say, she was sure. One more reason to find her quickly and bring her home.

They finished dinner in companionable silence before Henry went upstairs to what was now his room to do his homework. Emma had just settled on the sofa with a beer when someone knocked loudly on their door. She sighed softly and decided to ignore it. She was looking forward to a quiet evening of sitting on the sofa, staring at the wall and making plans for finding Regina, and whoever was on the other side of the door could just leave her alone.

Another knock, louder this time, bordering on banging. "Em," Neal shouted through the door. "Open up this damn door, I know you're in there."

Emma growled as she stood. If he kept this up, Henry would be down here in a second, and then she'd have to let him come inside, so she quickly walked over and whipped the door open with a snarl. "What do you want?"

Neal reared back at the tone in Emma's voice and the look on her face. "I ... Well ... you missed brunch and I wanted to talk to you. Can I come in?"

"No." Emma blocked his entry. "You don't get to talk to me, you don't get to come in, and if you're not very, very careful, you also don't get to see Henry again."

"What? Why? What did I do?"

"You know exactly what you did," Emma growled, poking him hard in the chest with her index finger. "I told you time and again to leave me alone, and you go and tell Snow that you're my true love?" She had to take a deep breath to calm herself down. "Are you fucking serious?" she hissed. "You know that's a lie, and now she's convinced you're my happy ever after."

Neal had the decency to blush. "But I could be your true love, if you just gave us a chance," he pleaded with her. "And it made Snow happy ... I didn't see any harm in-"

Emma laughed incredulously. "Of course you didn't," she said shaking her head. "Thinking about anyone but yourself always was too much of a challenge." She looked him straight in the eye as she continued. "Go away, Neal. Leave me alone and stop plotting with Snow to get to me."

"But Em ..."

"My name," Emma snarled, "is Emma." She closed the door but Neal's foot stopped it before she could shut it. The look on Emma's face was bordering on murderous. "Neal, I mean it. Go. Away. And don't come back. You can see Henry at Granny's or he can come to your place but you will not come back here. Ever."

Neal saw the look in Emma's eyes and for once decided to do the right thing and leave her alone. He gave her a curt nod and fled down the hallway.

Emma shut the door and locked it, before turning around and leaning against the door, eyes closed in relief.

"Was that my dad?" Henry asked from the foot of the stairs. "Why didn't he come in?"

Emma sighed. Of course. "Listen, Henry," she began. "I know you love your father and I don't mind you seeing him ... but I don't want to see him, okay?" She pushed off of the door and walked over to the sofa, where she plopped gracelessly onto the cushions.

Henry joined her, his movements slightly hesitant. "But I thought ..."

"What did you think?" Emma had to work hard at not letting her impatience with Neal bleed through. "Let me guess: you thought he was my true love?"

Henry nodded eagerly. "Well, yeah ... I mean he's my dad."

Emma shook her head. "Henry, just because two people have a kid they don't have to be each other's true loves. I know you don't want to hear this but Neal definitely is not my true love."

Henry seemed to digest that thought. "Who is then? Your true love?"

"I don't know," Emma said softly. But I'm hoping it's someone really special to us both.

"Well, then we have to find him!" Henry declared.

Emma ruffled his hair. "First we have to find your mom, kid." And if I have any say in it, that might very well take care of finding my true love. "Time for bed now, little prince," she added. "It's past your bedtime."

"That's what mom called me on the way back from Neverland," Henry mentioned with a sigh as he stood without complaint. "I miss her."

I miss her too.

o o o

Regina woke up hours later in a pitch black room and a distinct urge to drink a bucket of water. With a lazy move of her hand she created a small fireball and threw it in the fireplace before getting to her feet with slow and measured movements. Her head hurt a little and she shot the bottle of Maker's Mark a baleful look as if it was its fault that a good third of it was missing.

After two large glasses of water she took a long shower, still trying to shake the cobwebs in her brain caused by the alcohol. The long shower helped a little, as had the nap and the water, but she knew she still wasn't anywhere near sober.

How else could she explain that her thoughts from before her nap were still swirling in her head? How else could she explain the harebrained idea that took root in her mind and refused to go away? How else could she possibly explain that she would go to Storybrooke tonight to catch a glimpse of Emma and Henry. Just enough to tide her over the next few days, enough to know that they were safe and well, and happy.

Just to confirm that she made the right choice.

She dressed with more care than necessary for a mere trip into town to watch somebody from the shadows but she couldn't bring herself to mind. Nobody would see her … but if they did she would at least look presentable. And if she wore things she knew Emma would enjoy seeing on her — even if she wouldn't see her — so what? That was probably due to the alcohol coursing through her bloodstream as well. Besides, it was never bad to look your best.

Regina decided not to risk transporting herself into the apartment due to her slight state of inebriation, so she ended up in the alley behind Emma's apartment. The whole building was dark and quiet, just the way it should be at a little after midnight.

Regina straightened her shoulders and carefully walked inside the building. She listened at the door to Emma's apartment for a moment before trying the door handle.

Locked. Well, that's an improvement. Regina actually smiled before waving her hand.

The door opened soundlessly.

o o o

Emma tried to watch some TV after Henry had gone to bed but she couldn't focus on anything. Her thoughts were revolving around Regina and where she could be staying. Hiding.

She pulled up a mental plan of Storybrooke and realized quickly enough that there were large areas that she had never been to. For a small town there were a surprising amount of streets and wooded areas that she just didn't know. She sat up straight all of a sudden. Something was niggling at the back of her mind when she thought about the woods, as if there was a memory or thought trying to come out. She shook it off and made a note to get an actual map of Storybrooke tomorrow, and then start canvassing the town.

When she yawned for the third time in ten minutes she decided to head to bed. She pulled her shirt off as she walked around the makeshift room divider she had put up after Snow and David had moved out. She sure as hell didn't fancy sleeping in the open or have her son walk in on her when she was … relaxing, so she had pulled two large bookcases to the middle of the room and set them up at a right angle with her bed hidden behind. A small "doorway" between the bookcases was covered by a curtain. It wasn't the kind of privacy she would normally want but it was better than nothing.

She fell into bed in her tank top and panties and closed her eyes but as soon as she did she was wide awake. Thoughts of Regina and their moment on the Jolly Roger on the way back from Neverland invaded every cell of her body. She shivered but it had nothing to do with the temperature in the room. It was the memory of holding Regina in her arms, of being that close to her, to have her nose pressed into that luxurious hair, to be immersed in the smell of her, the sounds she made.

She hardly even realized when her hand wandered down her body and into her panties but she gasped when her fingers encountered the wetness gathered there. How had she gotten this aroused this quickly? Her mind called up an image of Regina kneeling between her legs, running her fingers lightly along Emma's thighs and towards her core. She practically felt Regina pulling down her panties and leaning closer, closer, closer until her mouth covered her most sensitive spots. She ran her fingers along her labia the way the Regina in her mind ran her tongue along them, softly and lightly, up one side and down the other. Then the focus shifted towards her clit and she let out a groan when a fingernail touched it lightly, getting her so much closer to an embarrassingly quick orgasm. Only a few more moments, a few more licks from the woman in her mind, and she would explode. She pressed her fingers against her clit as her back arched, and she came with a short, sharp cry. "Oh God, Regina!"

Her whole body relaxed into the feeling of pleasant lassitude that rolled through her body, and it was then that she felt as if someone was watching her. She opened her eyes and looked around before she spotted the woman standing by her bed. "That was wonderful," she told the image of Regina with a smile, closing her eyes again. "But why are you dressed?"

She heard a gasp that sounded surprisingly real and made her open her eyes again. Regina was still standing at the foot of the bed, and even in the dim light Emma could see her blushing. Regina cleared her throat, looking somewhat uncomfortable, and torn between running away and tearing her own clothes off to join Emma on the bed.

At which point Emma realized that the woman in front of her was real. "Regina?" she asked quietly.

She could see the panic on Regina's face and the beginning of one of her classic magic hand moves, so she jumped up as fast as her relaxed body allowed. "No," she begged and she grabbed Regina's wrist. "Please don't go."